Translator: GodBrandy Editor: Kurisu
This time around, he had a lot of time. As such, Song Shuhang relied on his powerful memory to note down this version of the ❮Disposition-Tempering Prose Poetry of the Sage❯ written with ancient characters.
Now, I won’t have to worry even if I get dragged into that infinite make-up test space again, Song Shuhang thought to himself.
Still, that infinite make-up test space didn’t appear. Soon after, the split open body of the Mountain of Myriad Books started to slowly close up. Just as it was closing up, the Mountain of Myriad Books shouted and wrangled.
What the hell was going on?! Since when had its body become like this? It had unexpectedly turned into a huge book? Who had carried out this cruel transformation on its body while it was soundly sleeping?
“The mountain closed again… but what about the Still Pond of Wisdom?” Song Shuhang looked all around, not seeing any ‘Still Pond of Wisdom’.
The Mountain of Myriad Books had been overturned, and there had been a sudden and strange change. Such being the case, the Still Pond of Wisdom should have also appeared, right? And yet, it was nowhere to be seen!
Was it possible that they would have to satisfy other conditions as well to make the Still Pond of Wisdom appear?
That’s really troublesome… if I use my ‘secret appraisal technique’ to appraise the Mountain of Myriad Books, will I obtain some clue?
No, that wouldn’t work.
Song Shuhang would still get affected by those 88,888 voices in his mind from time to time. At the same time, his understanding of the appraisal technique was getting better and better, and even the price he had to pay had become a lot less harsh.
Still, if he were to appraise something like the Mountain of Myriad Books, which was gigantic, had existed for a very long time, and was concealing all sorts of secrets… he might lose so much blood that he might directly die!
Song Shuhang secretly pulled at his glove. For his personal safety, it would be better if he forgot about appraising the Mountain of Myriad Books.
Perhaps there simply wasn’t any fate between him and the Still Pond of Wisdom…
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But right at this time, the eyes of the nearby True Monarch Eternal Fire suddenly lit up.
He took out a paper and a brush, and started to quickly write something.
He started with the ❮Self-Cultivating Prose Poetry of the Sage❯, and after a few seconds, True Monarch Eternal Fire had completely written down the lengthy prose poetry on the paper. Afterward, it was the turn of the ❮Disposition-Tempering Prose Poetry of the Sage❯.
Once he had finished writing down the two texts, True Monarch Eternal Fire stood in place with his hands crossed behind his back, looking at the far-off Mountain of Myriad Books.
“Eh? Senior Eternal Fire has discovered how to solve the mystery?” Song Shuhang muttered to himself.
It wasn’t only him… the seniors of the Nine Provinces Number One Group were also expectantly waiting for something to happen.
Next, True Monarch Eternal Fire raised his hands, and the two pieces of paper with the ancient characters written above started to hover midair.
In the next moment, the shouting and wrangling Mountain of Myriad Books suddenly calmed down. Then, its voice changed, becoming emotionless and indifferent.
The Mountain of Myriad Books started to speak, reciting aloud the ❮Self-Cultivating Prose Poetry of the Sage❯ and the ❮Disposition-Tempering Prose Poetry of the Sage❯.
While it was reciting the two pieces of prose poetry, the corresponding ancient characters of the ❮Self-Cultivating Prose Poetry of the Sage❯ and ❮Disposition-Tempering Prose Poetry of the Sage❯ that True Monarch Eternal Fire had written down on the papers would lit up.
But that wasn’t all.
At last, the ancient characters turned into a mass of golden light that jumped out of the paper, starting to hover midair.
The Mountain of Myriad Books was speaking very slowly, and it took it whole three minutes to finish reading aloud the two ancient texts.
In the air, the ancient characters of the two texts condensed together, transforming into two balls of dazzling and blinding golden light.
Something is going to happen soon! the fellow daoists of the Nine Provinces Number One Group thought to themselves.
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The ancient characters of the two texts were getting brighter and brighter. In the end, the golden light ‘melted’, turning into a pond of light.
The pond of light hovered midair at the height of five meters.
Was this the so-called Still Pond of Wisdom?
“Eh? The bottom of that pond of light is actually the entrance to another dimension!” Venerable White immediately saw through the true nature of the ‘Still Pond of Wisdom’.
From the looks of it, it was possible to go to another place after jumping in the ‘Still Pond of Wisdom’.
Right at this time, True Monarch Eternal Fire bowed at Venerable White and the others, and said, “Are you interested in joining me to explore this place?”
“Is that really okay?” Venerable White said with a smile.
After all, it was a treasure that belonged to the scholarly faction, and it was somewhat inappropriate for strangers like them to get involved.
True Monarch Eternal Fire faintly smiled, and said, “There is no harm. Perhaps it was fate.”
“Since Senior Eternal Fire agreed, we won’t stand on ceremony.” Young Master Phoenix Slayer faintly smiled. He held the barrel of wine in one hand and jumped toward the Still Pond of Wisdom. He wanted to get into the place on the other side before True Monarch Eternal Fire changed his mind.
Soon after, Fairy Lychee, Northern River’s Loose Cultivator, and True Monarch Ancient Lake Temple also followed in Young Master Phoenix Slayer’s footsteps, proceeding toward that ‘Still Pond of Wisdom’ made of light.
The four of them gently jumped inside the pond.
But in the next moment, they passed through the light of the pond and landed on the ground. They were unable to reach the place located on the other side of the ‘Still Pond of Wisdom’.
“Eh?” Young Master Phoenix Slayer was surprised.
He could clearly feel that there was another dimension on the other side of the pond of light. However, they had been unable to come into contact with this pond, and the dimension on the other side felt like an illusion for them.
“Interesting… let me give it a try.” Venerable White gently smiled. He likewise arrived next to the pond and jumped into it.
“Whizz~” But right at this time, the portal at the bottom of the pond opened, and Venerable White successfully managed to enter the space on the other side.
“That’s strange…” Young Master Phoenix Slayer said curiously. Then, he tried once again to jump into the Still Pond of Wisdom. But, just like before, his body passed through the Still Pond of Wisdom, and he was unable to enter the dimension on the other side.
Northern River’s Loose Cultivator said, “Perhaps it requires a certain level of strength to enter? For example, only those that have reached the Seventh Stage Venerable Realm, or a higher realm, can enter?”
“It can’t be, right? Otherwise, only Venerable White alone will be able to enter that place!” True Monarch Fallout said with regret.
Song Shuhang thought for a moment and furrowed his brows. No, that probably wasn’t the case. If only people that had reached the Seventh Stage Venerable or higher realm could enter, why would the ‘lustrous scholar’ tell this matter related to the ‘Still Pond of Wisdom’ to a cultivator of the Third Stage like him?
“I’ll give it a try,” Song Shuhang said. Afterward, he jumped upward and arrived above the Still Pond of Wisdom.
“Whizz~” When he fell downward, the space gate at the bottom of the pond opened, and he whizzed to the other side.
Song Shuhang had also managed to successfully reach the other side.
Young Master Phoenix Slayer pushed his glasses up, and said, “Little friend Shuhang also managed to get inside!”
Such being the case, the condition to enter that dimension on the other side wasn’t related to ‘strength’.
“Since the condition has nothing to do with strength, let me give it a try as well.” True Monarch Eternal Fire bowed at the various fellow daoists, and jumped toward the Still Pond of Wisdom.
In the next moment, he also got into that space on the other side.
The fellow daoists of the Nine Provinces Number One Group were momentarily unable to make out what the requirements to enter that space were.
As such, all those that were interested simply jumped inside the Still Pond of Wisdom.
In the end, only two fellow daoists managed to get into that space on the other side of the pond—True Monarch Fallout and Scholar Drunken Goon.
True Monarch White Crane, who wanted to follow behind Venerable White, was also refused entry by the Still Pond of Wisdom, and was still mad about it.
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“Senior White, little friend Shuhang, Senior Eternal Fire, True Monarch Eternal Fire, Scholar Drunken Heaven… what do these fellow daoists have in common?” Young Master Phoenix Slayer held his chin and pondered.
Cave Lord Snow Wolf said, “They are all men?”
“Fellow Daoist Snow Wolf, your words just now offended all the male fellow daoists here present.” The corner of Young Master Phoenix Slayer’s mouth rose.
“Cough, that wasn’t my meaning!” Cave Lord Snow Wolf quickly explained.
Northern River’s Loose Cultivator pondered for a short moment, and then said, “Perhaps it’s because they know something or have something with them that makes them qualified to enter that place?”
Su Clan’s Sixteen’s eyes suddenly lit up. “This is the territory of the scholarly faction, and if there is any requirement, it should be related to the scholars. When the Mountain of Myriad Books split open earlier, the ❮Disposition-Tempering Prose Poetry of the Sage❯ was written on its pages. Such being the case, is it possible that you need to know that ancient text to enter the space on the other side?”
Sixteen’s guess made sense.
However, Fairy Lychee refuted this theory. “I also noted down the ❮Disposition-Tempering Prose Poetry of the Sage❯, but I was still unable to enter.”
Young Master Phoenix Slayer said, “Perhaps you don’t have to know only the ❮Disposition-Tempering Prose Poetry of the Sage❯, but also the ❮Self-Cultivating Prose Poetry of the Sage❯ that True Monarch Eternal Fire wrote down earlier? It’s likely that you have to know both of those ancient texts to gain the qualifications to enter.”
“If that’s the case, we need to find a scholar and have them teach us those two ancient texts to have a try!” Fairy Lychee said.
“You want to look for a scholar? I just happened to have brought one with me.” Su Clan’s Seven’s voice echoed from the sky. In the next moment, he landed on the ground, and there was another person behind him. It was True Monarch Eternal Fire’s only son, the ‘Saber Wielding Scholar’ Su Wenqu.
Earlier, Seven went to challenge the various scholarly experts in the White Cloud City. After he had taken on a few people, the ‘Saber Wielding Scholar’ Su Wenqu also got excited, and decided to go on stage to challenge Su Clan’s Seven.
However, they had yet to start their battle when Seven heard the sound of an explosion transmitting from the filming location.
Since he was worried about the fellow daoists of the Nine Provinces Number One Group, he immediately rushed over to this place. Fellow Daoist Su Wenqu pestered him to let him tag along, so Seven brought him here too.
When she saw Su Wenqu, the corner of Su Clan’s Sixteen’s mouth rose. “Fellow Daoist, we meet again.”
“Ahaha, indeed. What a coincidence.” Su Wenqu forced a smile, looking somewhat embarrassed.
Fairy Lychee took a step forward, and asked, “Little brother from the scholarly faction, do you know the ❮Self-Cultivating Prose Poetry of the Sage❯ and the ❮Disposition-Tempering Prose Poetry of the Sage❯?”
“Of course. There is no scholarly disciple that doesn’t know those two texts,” the ‘Saber Wielding Scholar’ Su Wenqu said with a nod.
“That’s great!” Fairy Lychee smiled sweetly, and said, “In that case, can little friend teach us the ❮Self-Cultivating Prose Poetry of the Sage❯ and the ❮Disposition-Tempering Prose Poetry of the Sage❯?”
“Sure, no problem!” the Saber Wielding Scholar immediately agreed.
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In the meantime.
Senior White, little friend Shuhang, True Monarch Eternal Fire, True Monarch Fallout, and Scholar Drunken Goon had entered that space on the other side of the Still Pond of Wisdom.
This space was only as big as a hall, and there were no hidden mechanisms or traps inside.
An ordinary-looking scholar was sitting in that space.
Just as if he had sensed their arrival, the scholar opened his eyes and shot a glance at the people present. Then, he opened his mouth, and suddenly said, “Someone finally came here.”
Song Shuhang bowed, and said, “Hello, Senior.”
However, the scholar didn’t reply to Song Shuhang. He only calmly raised his head and started to recall something.
“My old and worthless self was unparalleled under the heavens, with a strength capable of suppressing all the living things in the universe. It was not long before everyone started to call me ‘Sage’,” the scholar said softly. “The day my old and worthless self was born, auspicious omens appeared, overshadowing heaven and earth…”
“…” Song Shuhang.
